CNN has launched an internal investigation following allegations that its star reporter, Clarissa Ward, fabricated the viral story of rescuing a “hidden prisoner” from one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s notorious jails.
In a widely viewed video, Ward and her team were touring a Syrian detention site, where numerous civilians were reportedly tortured and killed.
While at the site, the team discovered a locked cell, where they found a man, later identified as Adel Gharbal from Homs, hiding under a blanket.
Gharbal claimed he had been imprisoned for three months without food or water, only surviving after his captors fled when Damascus fell to rebel forces.
However, a fact-checking investigation by Syrian site Verify-Sy has cast doubt on Gharbal’s claims.
The site questioned the authenticity of the rescue, pointing out that Gharbal appeared unusually healthy for someone supposedly tortured and imprisoned for months.
“Despite his claims of harsh treatment, Gharbal looked clean, well-groomed, and physically healthy, with no visible signs of torture,” said Verify-Sy, which is a member of the Poynter International Fact-Checking Network.
Upon further investigation, Verify-Sy identified the man as Salama Mohammad Salama, also known as Abu Hamza, a former first lieutenant in the Syrian Air Force intelligence.
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Locals from Homs revealed that Salama was notorious for his role in abuses, including theft, extortion, and torture, during the regime’s crackdown on rebels.
They further accused him of killing civilians and participating in military operations in 2014.
According to Verify-Sy, Salama had been arrested only a month prior due to a dispute with a higher-ranking officer and had been attempting to garner sympathy by claiming to have been forced into committing war crimes.
Locals also noted that Salama had erased his social media presence and changed his phone number to avoid any association with his past.
In response, CNN confirmed the authenticity of the rescue video, stating that the events played out exactly as reported.
A CNN spokesperson clarified that the decision to release the man was made by a Syrian rebel guard, and the prisoner may have provided a false identity.
CNN is continuing its investigation into the matter, including further scrutiny of the prisoner’s background.